2006 AUDI A4 Complaints

I DRIVE A 2006 AUDI A4 QUATTRO S-LINE AND MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT SEEMS TO GO OFF RANDOMLY WHEN I AM DRIVING AT NIGHT. ONCE I COMPLETE TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND TURN BACK ON, THE HEADLIGHTS WORK FOR SOME TIME. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME AND I ALSO SEE THAT LOT OF OTHERS SHARING SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ONLINE.. EX: HTTP://WWW.FIXYA.COM/CARS/T593349-AUDI_A4_LEFT_DIPPED_HEADLIGHT_PROBLEM I GOT PULLED OVER BY A COP SINCE MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS OFF. LUCKILY I JUST GOT A WARNING AND I DIDN'T GET ANY TICKET. IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO TURN OFF AND ON A HEADLIGHT ALL THE TIME AND I FEEL THERE IS SOME INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. PLEASE HELP ME OUT. THANKS MANJESH *TR

AUDI A4 B7 PLATFORMS WITH HID HEADLIGHTS HAVE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH LIGHTS TURNING OFF WHILE IN OPERATION. THIS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON MANY INTERNET FORUMS. SEARCHING FOR "AUDI HEADLIGHT DIPPED" OR "AUDI HEADLIGHT FLICKER" WILL YIELD MANY RESULTS. THE PROBLEM MANIFESTS INITIALLY AS FLICKERING HEADLIGHTS. PROPER STATE FOR HID HEADLIGHTS IS NOT MAINTAINED AND FLICKERING ENSUES. IF PROPER STEADY STATE IS NOT RETAINED WITHIN A TOLERABLE TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF REQUIRING A REFIRING TO CREATE IGNITION IN THE BULB AGAIN. THE "HEADLIGHT DIPPED" MESSAGE TELLS THE OPERATOR THAT THE DIPPED HEADLIGHT IS NOT OPERATIONAL. A DIPPED HEADLIGHT IS THE EUROPEAN TERM FOR A LOW BEAM. ONCE THE HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT IT WILL REMAIN OUT UNTIL THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM IS REFIRED BY TURNING OFF THE LIGHTS AND TURNING THEM BACK ON. THIS PROCEDURE CAN BE FOLLOWED TO REOBTAIN LIGHTING WHILE THE VEHICLE HAS LOST LIGHTING IN MOTION BUT DEPENDS ON THE OPERATOR'S ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE SITUATION AND PERFORM THE APPROPRIATE ACTION. A VEHICLE'S ABILITY TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS IS IMPORTANT FOR COLLISION AVOIDANCE. THE MITIGATING FACTORS FOR THIS ISSUE ARE THE FACT THAT OFTEN IT IS ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT THAT GOES OUT AND THAT WITH THE PROPER PROCEDURE THE HEADLIGHTS CAN BE RELIT. AGGRAVATING FACTORS FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE ARE THE FACT THAT HID HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE AND MANY OF THE VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM WILL SOON BE OFF OF THE WARRANTY. ADDITIONALLY THE MANUFACTURE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER BULB REPLACEMENT, WHICH COSTS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR HID BULBS, AND REQUIRES BULB REPLACEMENT BEFORE SERVICE OF THE REMAINING PARTS OF THE SYSTEM. THE COST ALLOCATION WILL RESULT IN MANY VEHICLES REMAINING ON THE ROAD WITH DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT SYSTEMS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. SHE THEN HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. SHE EXITED AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND FROM UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE FRONT HALF OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY FAILURES PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER, WHO WAS ALSO UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS LABELED AS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

TURN CAR ON, LIGHTS GO ON THEN AS SOON AS I START DRIVING, MOSTLY WITH A COLD ENGINE, ACCELERATION, LEFT TURN, SLIGHT BUMP/VIBRATIONS IN THE ROAD THE LEFT HEADLIGHT GOES OFF, THERE IS A WARNING MESSAGE IN THE CAR THAT SAYS LEFT DIPPED HEADLIGHT, BUT WHEN I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON AND IT "FIXES" THE PROBLEM, THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN AND IF YOU TURN THE LIGHTS OFF IT WILL FIX IT AGAIN, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN (ALMOST) EVERY DAY. IF I GO PARTICULARLY SLOW IN AND OUT OF PARKING LOTS SOMETIMES I SEE THE LIGHT FLICKER BUT IT DOES NOT ALWAYS SHUT OFF RIGHT AWAY, IT MAY TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO FOR IT TO DO THIS LATER. THIS HEADLIGHT ISSUE HAPPENS DAILY AND THE DEALER STATES IT IS A LIGHT BULB ISSUE, BUT THE BULBS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO PURCHASE AND REPLACE AND I HAVE READ MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY SAME VEHICLE AND REPLACING THE BULB DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE, IT IS A MALFUNCTION THAT THE DEALER IS UNAWARE OF HOW TO FIX. *TR

LEFT HEADLIGHT EXTINGUISHING DURING DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALERS HAVE CLAIMED THAT THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS. THIS CAUSES DANGEROUS CONDITIONS BECAUSE THE LIGHT GOES OUT WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

EXTREME VIBRATIONS ARE OCCURRING WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND IN GEAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT NEW. IT NOW HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. THE VIBRATION LEVELS VARY AND CAN FLUCTUATE. WHEN VIBRATIONS ARE HIGH THE VIBRATION IS NAUSEATING OCCURS EVERY DAY. DEALER STATES AUDI WILL NOT DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM AS IT MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 AUDI A4 3.2L AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM ON AND OFF FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. THE LEFT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND THEN IT TURNS OFF. THEN I GET A WARNING MESSAGE THAT SAYS "LEFT DIPPED HEADLIGHT". BUT WHEN I TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND THEN TURN THEM ON AGAIN, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN ON JUST FINE. BUT THEN FEW MINUTES LATER, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT STARTS FLICKERING AGAIN AND TURNS OFF, REPEATS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS TO ME FREQUENTLY AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M DRIVING ON HIGHWAY OR VERY DARK AREAS, AS I HAVE TO TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS TO RESET THEM. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND IT LOOKS LIKE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALERSHIPS TO FIX THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SO FAR. *TR

THE HID HEADLIGHTS HAD BEEN FLICKERING FOR ALMOST A YEAR IN MY 2006 AUDI A4 QUATTRO 2.0. ORIGINALLY (ALMOST A YEAR AGO, APPROX 35K MILES) I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE PROBLEM INVESTIGATED, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER AND THEN EXTINGUISH, LEAVING ME DRIVING IN THE DARK, OR WITH ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT. THE DISPLAY IN MY CAR WOULD INDICATE LEFT OR RIGHT HEADLIGHT 'DIPPED'. IF I SHUT THE LIGHT SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION, THEN TO THE ON POSITION, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD RE-IGNITE. I RECENTLY HAD MY CAR SERVICED AGAIN, AND THEY INDICATED THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT BULB WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER REPLACING IT (AT A COST OF $515), AFTER DRIVING IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK, I NOTICED THE CONDITION WAS STILL PRESENT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY INDICATED THE OTHER BULB WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IN THIS INSTANCE COVERED THE COST OF THE BULB AND LABOR. I FEAR THAT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BY SIMPLY REPLACING THE BULBS, AND I WILL BE AGAIN DRIVING THE CAR WITH A FAULTY HEADLIGHT, WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IN THE WRONG CONDITIONS. *TR

THE LEFT HEADLIGHT OF MY 2006 AUDI A4 QUATTRO HAS THIS ANNOYING -- AND DANGEROUS -- PROBLEM: 1. THE LEFT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS 2. IT THEN TURNS ITSELF OFF 3. THE MESSAGE "LEFT DIPPED HEADLIGHT" APPEARS 4. THE MESSAGE IS CHANGED TO A SIGN INDICATING THAT THE LIGHTBULB HAS FAILED. IF I TURN THE LIGHT OFF (NOTE: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRIVING AT NIGHT HERE) AND TURN IT BACK ON AGAIN, THE LIGHT WILL BECOME NORMAL AGAIN, FOR ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AND THEN THE CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING A LOT RECENTLY WITH THE COLD WEATHER. MY AUDI DEALER SAID THAT AUDI KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. NUMEROUS OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED BY POSTINGS ON USER FORUMS. HTTP://WWW.FIXYA.COM/CARS/T593349-AUDI_A4_LEFT_DIPPED_HEADLIGHT_PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 AUDI A4 FROM PITTSBURGH TO VA MONDAY 1/18/09. APPROX 2 HRS INTO THE DRIVE, WHILE DESCENDING A HILL ON INTERSTATE 70 I WENT TO BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD. I HAD BEEN DRIVING IN THE 6TH GEAR OF THE TIPTRONIC MODE. SO I THREW IT OVER TO DRIVE MODE INSTEAD THINKING MAYBE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE OTHER MODE. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE I COULD HEAR THE ACCELERATION CONTINUING AND WHEN REMOVING MY FOOT FROM BRAKE THE CAR TOOK OFF UNTIL I HIT BRAKE AGAIN. PANICKED I TRIED TO GET OVER FROM THE PASSING LANE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN A CAR I ALMOST HIT AND AN 18 WHEELER. ONCE OVER ON SIDE I THREW ON EMERGENCY BRAKE AND COULD STILL HEAR AND FEEL CAR ACCELERATING. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT COMPLETELY. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND SHAKING. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE FLOOR TO SEE IF SOMETHING HAD OBSTRUCTED THE GAS AREA. ALL MATS WERE IN PLACE AND NOTHING APPEARED UNUSUAL. I THEN CHECKED FOR MY CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE NEVER USED IT IN THIS CAR AND ACTUALLY HAD TO FIND THE LEVER. THOUGHT MAYBE I BUMPED IT WHILE USING THE WIPERS. THE CC IS ON THE OTHER SIDE AND NO WHERE NEAR ANYTHING I WOULD HAVE TOUCHED. I CALLED AUDI ROADSIDE AND THEY TOWED IT TO FREDERICK MD. I CALLED AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING TO ALERT THEM. THEY SEEMED RESPONSIVE AND CONCERNED. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THEY SAID THEY TRIED TO REPLICATE IT. I ASKED IF THAT MEANT THEY DROVE IT AT NIGHT FOR 2 HOURS IN 13 DEGREE WEATHER IN THE 6TH GEAR OF TIPTRONIC MODE? THEY SAID NO THEY CONDUCTED COMPUTER TESTS AND FOUND NOTHING. I HAD TO PICK UP MY CAR THAT I AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE. I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON WHO NOW SEEMS TO NOT BE RETURNING MY CALLS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME & I NEED TO FIND ANSWERS &/OR GET ANOTHER VEHICLE I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. I READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE FOR THIS CAR & YEAR. *TR